Located in the northeastern corner of Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, the new Corps Leadership & Military Science Building (CLMS) combines several corps’ functions and is a focal point for cadets. A collaborative effort between Virginia Tech and Clark Nexsen, this three-story building represents the revitalization of the historic Upper Quad and supports the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets’ mission to impart the essential values and skills leaders need to succeed.
At 74,000 square feet, the CLMS building serves the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force, and Virginia Tech Cadet Corps. It houses the Rice Center for Leadership Development, the Corps Museum, multimedia areas, office spaces, classrooms, labs, a library, and the cadet honor courtroom. Additionally, the CLMS building is the new home for the Integrated Security Education and Research Center (ISERC). Serving the entire Virginia Tech campus, the ISERC engages students through spaces for wargaming, national security exercises, and cyber operations.
A highlight of the design is the Corps of Cadets Museum on the first floor of the building. For the first time since its establishment in 1985, the collection will have a permanent home for artifacts to be proudly displayed. Interactive displays with localized audio showcase the history of the corps at Virginia Tech. Museum-grade ambient and focal lighting accentuate artifacts, such as uniforms, photographs, and diaries, which have been collected since the university was founded in 1872. Special display cases honor and share the personal achievements of the nine Congressional Medal of Honor recipients who graduated from Virginia Tech. Also on the first floor is the CLMS Shared Library, which is designed to act as an extension of the museum during special exhibits and holds memorabilia, maps, and more. Both spaces have high-end finishes and casework that focus attention on the subjects within. The pinnacle museum on campus, the Corps Museum, inspires future, current, and former cadets.
The exterior design of the new CLMS building complements Virginia Tech’s collegiate gothic architecture by continuing the use of pointed arches, tower elements, ornamental heraldry, and Hokie stone. Before entering, visitors will interact with the plaza displaying the flags of the ROTC programs that constitute the Corps of Cadets. The CLMS building and new flag plaza are positioned on the centerline of Lane Hall, the oldest building on campus and the historical home of the Corps of Cadets. Visitors will be guided along a formal path that allows them to engage with the historic and new buildings of the Upper Quad. The entire Upper Quad will also be visible from the balcony above the main entrance of the building, which connects to the honor courtroom. Upon entering the building, the atrium connecting the three floors cultivates a sense of collaboration, and the wood finishes and strategic transitions of materials achieve a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Virginia Tech is one of six senior military colleges in the United States, and the Cadet Corps has been an integral part of the university since its founding in 1872. Therefore, it was key to the design to celebrate the rich history of the corps, and symbolism is displayed throughout the building. The eight columns in the atrium represent the core values of Virginia Tech’s Corps of Cadets, and each column is inscribed with those values. Signifying the corps’ military history and contributions to America, heraldry is displayed on the exterior and interior.
The CLMS building was designed and constructed at the same time as the Upper Quad North Residence Hall, allowing Virginia Tech to increase the Corps of Cadets to 1,400 students. Additionally, with the completion of Pearson Hall East and West, located across from the CLMS building and completed in 2016 and 2017 by Clark Nexsen, this project was the final component in Clark Nexsen and Virginia Tech’s joint vision to revitalize the Upper Quad. Since its completion in 2023, the CLMS building has become the stage for the comprehensive and diverse program that transforms cadets into leaders.